Monthly Archives July 2015

Brad McDowell was recently appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of Blue Line Arts, a non-profit organization in South Placer dedicated to supporting the arts. For 45 years, this treasured community resource has been showcasing regional and national artists, as well as providing education for children and young adults by offering art classes, guided gallery tours and volunteer opportunities. McDowell is honored to have been selected for this board and has been a strong admirer and patron of the arts for many years. Click herefor more information about Blue Line Arts, and to view featured artists and their extraordinary collections.

Super Lawyers Magazine has just released their list of Northern California’s “Rising Stars” for 2015 and Smith, McDowell & Powell is proud to announce that Jason Smith and Jaclyn Powell have both been named on this prestigious list. The selection procedure uses a patented multiphase process which includes conducting statewide surveys, independent research and analyzing peer reviews, resulting in no more than 2.5 percent of attorneys being chosen from over 70 practice areas. This is Jason Smith’s third consecutive year to be selected, the second year in a row for Jaclyn Powell, and both are honored to be named among some of the most respected and hardest working attorneys in Northern California. Brad McDowell was recognized for 2013 and 2014, and the entire team at SMP would like to offer congratulations to all the attorneys who made the list. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com, and make sure to pick up the August issue of Northern California Super Lawyers Magazine to read about the selection process and the other exceptional “Rising Stars” in the legal industry.

Sick-leave benefits have now been extended to millions of California workers. “The Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014,” (AB1522) was signed in September by Governor Brown and will greatly impact the way many working parents and lower-income families and individuals cope with the impending cold and flu season. In turn, this means a great deal of new requirements for business owners, such as properly distributing notices to all employees.

In essence, the bill states that by allowing part-time workers to accrue paid sick-leave, not only will these individuals be able to recover from illnesses properly, but they will also be able to attend to the needs of sick loved ones (i.e., children or elderly parents). By encouraging designated recovery time without the threat of losing income, workplaces will become more productive and, ideally, healthier.

With this new legislation, new policies go into effect, so whether you are an employer or employee, here are five things you should be aware of:

Beginning July 1, 2015, California employees will start accruing paid time off at a rate of one hour of sick leave per 30 hours worked, up to a minimum of three days, or 24 hours, per year;

Employers must include information regarding the amount of sick leave available on each employee’s paystub or in an attached document;

Employers must comply with additional notice requirements upon hiring new employees;

Employers may be penalized for firing or demoting employees within 30 days of a sick leave dispute filed with the Labor Commissioner; and

Compensation for unused sick pay accrued pursuant to AB 1522 is generally not required after termination of employment.

For further reading on the new requirements, click here. As always, whether you need assistance with preparation of employee handbooks, employment agreements, or should you have questions regarding this legislation and how it will impact you, the attorneys at Smith, McDowell & Powell are here to help guide you through these changes.